Anyone ever done a car (not Motorcycle) track day?

[griff2]

Ok, a little off topic, but I know the need for speed crowd is here, so I thought I'd ask.....contemplating taking my car to one of the "Speed Therapy" days at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

I'm looking firmly at the amateur day since I'm not interested in playing with the Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche crowd.

www.driveteq.ca

Gerry Low is one of the better organizers and lead instructors out there, and he has been at it for decades, both as an instructor for other track day organizers and on his own. He does a lot at the GP and DDT tracks at Mosport, but he also organizes excursions to various other Ontario and premier American race tracks.

Mosport's GP track is great if you like to go fast, but Mid-Ohio is actually more fun to drive. Watkin's Glenn is also a lot of fun to drive providing they are running the long course into the Boot, but there is no forgiveness in most of the Boot if you mess up.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I'd highly recommend it but everyone needs to approach it with 100% humility and with an ability to keep their discipline.

Give it it a shot. You're almost certain to love it. Or you could get into kart racing

Thanks. Humility isn't a problem. Kart Racing...yeah, 30 years ago I dabbled with that and it was great fun, but I'm too old and out of shape now to even contemplate that.

I recommend track-specific brakes and rubber. Swap 'em in the paddock; but it's not a requirement.

Thanks for the advice, but not going to happen - this could be a 1 time thing unless I enjoy it a lot and I don't blow up the car, LOL. For me, it's "go have fun, then stop at WalMart on the way home for bread and milk" type thing.

What car are you planning on taking? Another vote for not notifying insurance that you have ever been on a track. The story I heard was in the past, many vehicles would "crash on the roads around mosport" (actual crash happened on the track, but you drag/drive the car to a ditch outside and claim the accident). Because of this behaviour they don't like to insure cars that see track duty

You'd laugh if I told you. It's tuned out to about 375 HP, has 4 doors, is AWD, and has RT in it's model designator. LOL. I know I'm likely going to get trounced by people in cars with half the HP, but again, it is what it is...as I've mentioned, ***** and giggles is what it's all about for me, that's all.

Regarding Shannonville, I also went to one of their Lapping Days for cars. It's truly a run-what-ya-brung event but was still well run. Lot's of space between vehicles. You're only allowed to do one lap at a time so that's how they keep vehicles spaced (everyone comes into the pits after a lap and you just stay in a line).
That day I took my Mazda CX-7 around the track and still had a great time.

Cool. That's what I'm looking for...average people having fun in what they bring, no pressure or shame LOL.

I think I'm going to look more seriously into the Shannonville option. I'm liking what I'm hearing and it's certainly more affordable.

Thanks again everyone for the honest advice and knowledge.

 

[GreyGhost]

Flogging your daily driver is great training for adverse events/conditions. I just wish that the possible financial downside wasn't so big.

The last time I drove one of those big FCA cars in anger (10+ years ago at the Hershey center when MB owned them) I was impressed with how something so huge felt relatively small while tossing it around.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I just wish that the possible financial downside wasn't so big.

It's not that big for me. You'd all be amazed if I told you what I paid for the car in question, although it needed about $5K worth of work the previous owner wasn't willing to invest, but I did myself for under $1K. The joys of growing up with a mechanic father who passed on a lot of his skills.

In the end I ended up with a fun daily driver that has some growl under the hood for what amounted to a song. If I dork it, blow it up, or otherwise hurt it somehow, well, it won't be a devastating financial hit. The thing already owes me very little. And yeah, I'll flog it a little, but I know the line between flogging and outright abuse that's likely to make bad things happen.

 

[JamJam]

You'd laugh if I told you. It's tuned out to about 375 HP, has 4 doors, is AWD, and has RT in it's model designator. LOL. I know I'm likely going to get trounced by people in cars with half the HP, but again, it is what it is...as I've mentioned, ***** and giggles is what it's all about for me, that's all.

Nothing wrong with that... mine was 4door, AWD, only 305hp/300tq at the wheels..... STi was the model designation
Still had a blast with it... but yes those civics, integras if set up right are blazing quick in the corners.... but you can run them in the straights if you can exit quick enough.

 

[meme]

I'd look at renting or doing the 1 more lap thing at http://www.calabogiemotorsports.com/

Not close but soooo worth the drive for the track. Plus then you are in the Valley, awesome to drive thru in fall.

 

[JFD]

I've done a couple days at shannonville and Cayuga - never regretted doing it. Allows you to really push your car around and you really learn it's limits. Like bigboy gokarting.

I went with my car club which was a bonus due to you 'knowing' your trackmates. Once I went with randoms and some db in a bimmer tried passing (despite no passing unless being waved by on the straight), and after a few times, he finally ate it in the turn and buried his front end.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I'd look at renting or doing the 1 more lap thing at http://www.calabogiemotorsports.com/

Thanks - however it's more about having fun with my own car vs wanting to do anything professional in a car that is, without doubt, far more suited to the track.

It'd be fun to have some video and photos of me flogging my daily driver on a track.

Allows you to really push your car around and you really learn it's limits. Like bigboy gokarting.

I like that viewpoint, and yeah, it's exactly the way I'm looking at it.